


The Case of the Sealskin

by kaxen



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: AU, Fanart, Ghosts, Illustrated, M/M, Magical detective, Private Investigator, Selkies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 01:32:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4768538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaxen/pseuds/kaxen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a slow month for private investigator Thomas Barrow, but everything changes with his new case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Case of the Sealskin

  
“I don’t think anyone will be coming,” Edward remarked. His pale blue and not entirely solid body ended in a lowball glass. He had been dead a few years now and had taken to haunting Thomas’s office. Thomas had tried to get Edward to go snooping on his behalf, but the ghost wasn’t terribly inclined to going anywhere. Ghosts tended to be that way. Given enough time and lack of resolution, they would eventually dissipate and cause those strange spots that felt chilly no matter how much you tried to keep warm and made murmurs of half-remembered memories. As much as Thomas liked Edward’s company, he hoped Edward would find what he needed to move on because he didn’t know anyone who would take over the task of keeping Edward in the right shape.  
Thomas had enough magical ancestry to have the Sight, but he never could figure out how to cast a spell, much to his father’s dismay. He ended up with practical training, which was to say, he learned as fast as possible whatever anyone would pay him to do. It certainly wasn’t much use to speak of unicorns amongst people who didn’t think they existed. When the war came, he had gone off to become a medic and gained a bit of a fear and awe of what a little human ingenuity made for killing efficiently.  
Striking off on his own with his meager savings and a little bit of black market, Thomas employed himself as a private investigator. The Sight was good enough to solve some woes even if no one believed the explanations. It was best to blame something innocently mundane.  
Except that tonight, and all of the last month, no one seemed to be coming. Fortunately, no one was in a hurry to rent this cheap, now haunted, office. Thomas smoked one last cigarette on the off chance someone might appear and make the past ten minutes of staring at “Thomas Barrow, Private Investigator” on the window of his door.  
Finally giving up, Thomas put out his cigarette. He stood up to stretch.  
“Someone’s coming,” Edward said.  
Someone slammed their fists on the door. Thomas strode across his small office and opened the door.  
He was at a loss for words for a moment as he stared at the soaking wet young man at his door.  
“I don’t know where else to go!” he blurted, “I need help!”  
  
“I don’t take charity cases,” Thomas said. The first and last time was helping the street urchin who prowled his block. He was paid in old newspapers, which might have counted as loss of profits as they were smelly and disgusting and maybe infested with bugs.  
“W-well I can give you this for now,” he said, holding up a tarnished coin with a barnacle on it. Thomas couldn't tell if was worth much.  
At least he was prettier than the street urchin downstairs.  
Thomas stepped to the side to let the young man in. He dropped some old papers on the ground to soak up water.  
“Who told you to come find me?” Thomas asked.  
“Nick. He said you’re very clever with this sort of thing,” the man said as he slumped down in the chair, making wet squishing noises.  
“That kid? If you run with him, you’re probably just trouble!” Thomas barked, “Who are you and what do you want?”  
“My name is Andy. Well, it’s not actually Andy, but my mother named me something no human says quite right,” the man said as he played with the corner of his jacket, “I’m a selkie and someone’s stolen my skin!”  
“What’s got you on land? Haven’t seen a selkie for years,” Thomas said.  
“Curiosity. The waterfront is always so active,” Andy said, “And candy floss.”  
“And you don’t have any connections on land?”  
“None. I only met Nick because was trying his best to get me to pay him to shine my shoes. But they’re pretty ruined now.” Andy clopped his shoes together.  
“Did the thieves toss you into the water?”  
“I didn’t have any paper money, but there’s plenty of gold at the bottom of the sea. I took a sack of it to a pawn shop,” Andy said, “But I can’t hold my breath long enough to reach shipwrecks without my skin. That coin I gave you is worth decent money. I swear I can pay whatever you ask as long as you get my skin back.”  
As he looked at the other man’s eyes, Thomas didn’t think he was lying. That and he didn’t think Nick had any friends besides the posh boy who seemed to think Nick’s terrible shoe shines were worth paying for.  
“I believe you,” Thomas said, “What were the people who robbed you like?”  
“A woman with short brown hair told me she would show me around. I guess she could tell I didn’t know much about the city. She took me to a restaurant called the… the… it started with a D. No, maybe it was a B. Or maybe a P? I’m really rubbish with letters,” Andy said, “Etta or something? The one with the red velvet chairs.”  
“The Bernadetta,” Thomas said.  
“Ah, yes,” Andy said, “Well, she ordered more wine than I think I was supposed to have because the rest is a bit hazy.”  
“The Bernadetta is run by the Moretti. Hopefully the boss hasn’t found out about it yet,” Thomas said.  
“He probably already knows,” Edward mumbled.  
“That’s no good! I don’t want to stay on land as somebody’s pet!” Andy said as he squirmed uncomfortably and the soaked cushion squished with him.  
“I’ll do what I can. You shouldn’t walk around sopping wet like that. You can get dried up at my place. It’s not far from here,” Thomas said.  
“Thank you,” Andy said as he brushed his dark curly hair out of his face.  
Thomas followed Andy out of the office and turned off the lights.  
“He better be dry next time he comes,” Edward grumbled as he fussed over the wet patch.  
Thomas contemplated his decision to house the selkie as he waited for Andy to come out of the bathroom. It was a good hour or so. He knew they liked the sea, but he hardly thought a bathtub was a good substitute. They were similar in size, though Andy was a bit more fit, so it was easy to offer Andy something to wear. His wet clothes were left hanging by the window. Thomas felt a sudden twinge of self-consciousness as he thought about his slightly messy and definitely cramped apartment. But he supposed someone who only hauled out on the beach to sleep might not have much opinion of what apartments ought to be.  
Andy’s borrowed shirt was hardly buttoned when he finally emerged from the bathroom.  
“Hot tap water is nice,” he mumbled shyly as he sat down on the beat up couch that had clawed open gashes covered by a too-small patch.  
“Werewolf?” Andy looked at the hole.  
“I’m glad you won’t make such a mess of my home,” Thomas laughed, though his smile faded quickly. Andy nodded silently.  
  
"Would you be able to recognize the woman if you saw her again?" Thomas asked.  
"Maybe," Andy said. He sighed deeply.  
"What is it?" Thomas asked.  
"Feel a bit like a fool I suppose. You know the stories. I was supposed to be cautious," Andy said, "Even if I get my skin back, I will be the laughingstock at the haul-out."  
This was probably a time to offer assurance that the selkie's kin would probably be more concerned than teasing, but Thomas thought expressing that sentiment felt a bit hollow as it would be coming from someone who had never had much security in familial bonds. Andy didn't say anything for a moment and blinked slowly.  
"I am exhausted. Been running on legs all day. Best get some sleep now," Andy said.  
“You can take the bed, if you want,” Thomas said.  
“Oh no, no. This is fine,” Andy said as he bent his legs with his knees by his chest and wrapped his arms around himself, fitting completely on the small couch. Thomas almost felt his back aching just looking at the way the selkie was trying to sleep.  
“Good night, then,” Thomas said.


End file.
